


The Timer

by unwxnted_ellie



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Hunk (Voltron) is a Good Friend, Hunk (Voltron) is a Ray of Sunshine, Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Needs a Hug, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Minor Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Oblivious Keith (Voltron), Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Slow Burn, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22020736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwxnted_ellie/pseuds/unwxnted_ellie
Summary: Everyone on Earth has a timer showing when fate intends their soulmate to die. So what happens when Lance's timer starts to tick down in the middle of battle? Who is his soulmate and can he manage to save them in time?
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	1. 49 hours

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys just letting you know that this is my first fanfic and its probably not gonna be that good but i hope you enjoy it❤️

Lance POV:

"But if we attack now, they will know our position! It's just too dangerous." Said Allura flatly, tucking a strand of white hair behind her ear. 

"But Allura, we could just wormhole out! And besides, if the mission goes according to plan, then their communications would be down and they wouldn't be able to call for backup. They wouldn't be able to move either, since we would have all of their quintessence. We  would be fine! I understand if your a bit skepti-" Shiro tried, but he was interrupted by an angry Allura.

"NO!" I said no and that's final!" She stood in front Shiro with her arms crossed. Poor Shiro. Allura can't make all of the decisions for the team! It's called a  _team_ for a reason.

  
  
“Guys, we really need to come to a compromise here. We all know that could be attacked any second!” Hunk chimed in. Leave it to Hunk to state the obvious.

  
“We cannot attack. Let’s just leave.” Allura deadpanned.

Keith rolled his eyes. "So we came here for nothing?" He yelled, and Allura turned to face him. Her face was a bright red, and her expression looked like a cross between a grimace and wanting to scream. "We have to attack while the Empire is vulnerable, we may not get another chance like this. I don't understand what  _you_ don't understand about that!" He crossed his arms and stormed off.   


I couldn't help but notice that, even when he was pissed, his hips still found a perfect rhythm a swung effortlessly.

Well damn, that was so fucking cute. Now, don’t get me wrong, I hate it when people argue, but the way he stood up for his brother (or whatever Shiro was to him, mentor, father figure, etc...) was so adorable. But Keith totally wasn't adorable. His stupid mullet was so, _so_ stupid. And how it frames his face and looks super hot in a ponytail, was just super dumb. Oh, his stupid laugh and how it's contagious and puts butterflies in my stomach, and how I joke around just to get that sweet, soft sound out of him is really,  _really_ stupid. And even stupider is his stupid eyes, oh don't even get me started on his eyes. Such a stupid pretty purple, like the galaxy decided to shrink into his two irises. Hell, I can even see stars if I look closely. No wonder we call him starboy. His purple could mean so many different things. A deep indigo when he's mad, a lighter violet when he's happy, a royal purple when he's confused, and so many more. I could go on and on and on about his eyes........

"-ance? LANCE!" I snapped back into reality to see Pidge smirking and waving a hand in front of my face. 

“What do you want you little gremlin?" I scoffed. I wasn't happy about being interrupted from thinking about Keith. Um - I mean - I was upset because all my friends just fought. Yeah.

“I wanna know why you totally spaced out while staring at Keith when he left."

I felt my face heat up. "I uh... I wasn't!" I stammered, smacking her arm.

Pidge just sighed. "Damn, your whipped.”

“Lance, we don’t have time for your nonsense.” Said Shiro, and they got back to work.

“Listen, Allura. We really need to attack. Keith and Shiro are right, and it’ll be a pretty easy mission. In and out. And even though it will be easy, it’ll still have a big impact on the Empire. Everyone else is in agreement except you. Even Coran agrees!” Coran shot her an apologetic look which she ignored.

I heard a small beep coming from my timer, but I ignored it. “Since the majority is in agreement, we are going to move forward with the plan.” Pidge said. Shiro nodded. “We will attack in four days.”

Two days later

I stared at my timer in awe, shock, despair, and confusion. 49 hours? That made no sense. I groaned and slammed my face into my pillow, not wanting to believe it. No. I won’t believe it. It’s probably fake.  


It’s fake

Its fake

Its fake

Its fake

Its fake

Its _fake_

It’s gotta be fake... right?

My soulmate and I were supposed to live happily together forever, have a perfect family, a perfect relationship, a perfect life... but no. Apparently, they have less than three  days to live and I may not even have met them yet! I'm stuck in this stupid castle ship in space, trying to save the universe and they are probably stuck on earth. They could be in danger right now, and I don't even know who they are!! Tears stung the corners of my eyes but I refused to let them fall. I sniffed and buried my face into my pillow so I wouldn't have to see the timer. I've heard stories of lovers defying fate and living longer then they were supposed to, but if I'm stuck in space then I won't even be able to try to save them. Why does life hate me so much? I'm going to be sad and alone forever and never even have my first kiss. Never going to go on my first real date, hold their hand, meet their family, have our _own_ family, grow old together, share our problems and promises... a silent tear rolled down my cheek and I wiped it away furiously.

Whatever. I just had to get this final battle over with, and then I could deal with this. Leave it for future Lance to deal with. Sounds like a great plan to me.

A soft knock on my door snapped me back into reality. "Come in." I croaked softly, my voice partially muffled by the pillow. I inwardly cringed at my voice, at how sad it sounded. How  _broken_ . Hunk slowly stepped in and I sat up.

"Hey man. You were acting kinda... off today and I wanted to see if everything was alright. What's up?" Before I could answer, he pulled me into a hug. Not surprisingly, he let me cry into his shirt, the salty tears warm and wet on my cheeks, a foreign yet familiar feeling. I feel like I haven't cried in ages, yet it brings back memories of when I would scrape my knee and Veronica would clean me up and get me a Star Wars bandaid, or when Mami would make me laugh when the tears were flowing, crying over just another girl who had broken my heart.

When Hunk assumed I was done, he softly pried me off his chest and patted my back. "What's got you upset bud?" I looked him in the eyes and wiped my tears. I wanted to explain everything. How I would never get to meet my soulmate, because by the time we get home, they were gonna be dead. How I would never get to do any of the cringy couple stuff and show them off. He would nod and listen and when I finished, he would pull me into another hug and tell me everything was going to be ok. And I would believe him. But that didn't happen. None of that happened, because I lied.

“I... I dunno, I just miss my family I guess. It's fine, I just don't wanna talk about it right now." What a lie. He eyes me suspiciously but nodded.

“Well, just know that it's normal to miss your family, and if you ever need to talk about it, I'm here for you." He smiled. I nodded and looked away. I heard the bed creak as he stood up and left. Burying my face in my hands, I cried until there were no more tears to be shed. I wondered where Keith was. All I wanted to do was talk to him, even though I didn't know why. Why Keith over Hunk? That made no sense. I sighed, and started to think about Keith's pretty eyes. That seemed to calm me down, even though I was emotionally and physically drained. As soon as I was calm enough to relax onto the pillow, I was fast asleep.


	2. Ticking Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance’s timer slowly ticks down as everyone prepares for the battle. Keith tries to help calm Lance down, and he has a bonding moment with Hunk. Hopefully this time, his bonding moment recipient will actually remember what happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg thank you all SO MUCH for all the sweet comments on my last two fics, it literally means the world to me. and also... over 800 reads on Home?!? that’s insane! i love you all so much and i really hope you guys like this chapter. happy reading!❤️

Keith POV

Lance has been acting... strange lately. Maybe it’s just the nerves of the upcoming battle, or maybe it’s just me, but he never jokes around with anyone anymore. Like, _ever_. He always just kinda stares at me, (why me??) and when I grin at him or try to joke around, he just gives me a sad smile. Kind of like he knows something that I don’t. It’s really weird, especially for someone as annoyingly outgoing as Lance. So I decided to see if he was okay.

I knocked softly on his door. He only comes out of his room for meals and to occasionally train with the rest of the team. I heard a mumble from the other side resembling something along the lines of “I’m _fine_ , Hunk.” I raised an eyebrow at that. So that means I wasn’t the only one who thought Lance was acting weird. At least now I know that I’m not going crazy.

  
“Lance, I’m obviously _not_ Hunk and your obviously _not_ fine. So let me in.” I said with an exasperated sigh.

“Well how was I supposed to know that you weren’t Hunk, idiot. I’m on the other side of a door. It’s not my fault that you happen to be an idiot with stupid pretty eyes.” I heard him grumble. I don’t think I was supposed to hear that. Did he really think Hunk’s eyes were pretty? Or was he talking about _me?_

I heard a couple other muffled noises before the door slid open, and an obviously exhausted Lance fell helplessly into my arms. “Woah woah woah, Lance, your really, _really_ not fine.”

“No shit. I feel awful, helpless and utterly useless.” He croaked.

I bit my lip. I couldn’t help but feel guilty, so I wrapped my arms around him protectively. I wouldn’t let anything hurt Lance. He was my teammate, my friend, my- _wait, what was Lance to me?_ He was one of my best friends, yes, but what else? A friendly ‘rival’? No, no that wasn’t it. A crush? No, that couldn’t be right either. Just because I like the way his smile lights up the room, and the way his hair always looks perfect, no matter if he didn’t try. And the way he looks at me...crap. _Crap._ I like Lance. I _like_ like Lance. Lance McClain, my rival, my friend, my _crush._ Oh my god _._ This was not good. Lance was straight. Like, super straight. He only ever flirts with girls (or whatever aliens call their versions of females). And even in the _slightest_ possibility that he wasn’t straight, he would never, NEVER, NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS, like someone like _me._

I sighed. He looked up and smiled softly at me, and if I didn’t know any better, I would said there was the slightest blush had barely dusted his cheeks. Just barely.

”So... what’s got you so upset?” I asked. He looked down, slightly embarrassed. 

“Um...” The dam burst. His body shook violently along with the sobs that racked his body. Crap! I’m not good at this kind of stuff! I sat him down on his bed and awkwardly patted his back as he cried it out. Then, just as suddenly as he started, he stopped. He looked at me with sad eyes and sighed. But this wasn’t one of his dramatic, suspenseful sighs. This was real. Genuine. Raw.

”I-I’m sorry, it’s just... I’m not going to be able to be happy, I guess.” He said. He sounded miserable. I raised my eyebrow. That wasn’t true.

  
“You know that you don’t need a soulmate to be happy with yourself, right?” 

“Yeah, but- wait, how did you know?!”

I chuckled softly. “Well, for starters, your wrist is right there,” I stated, pointing to his caramel skin and the numbers flashing on it. He flushed and looked away, obviously embarrassed. I looked at him, trying to catch his eye, but he just stared at the floor. So I made him look at me. I rested his chin in my palm and lifted his face. His gaze fell to my lips, then finally where I wanted them to stare into. My eyes. He looked at me with wide, bloodshot eyes and I just smiled.

”Also, you’ve been mumbling to your self. Things about how you’ll never be happy, because no one will be there to make you happy. There’s something called self love, Lance, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with being okay with who you are without needing someone else’s approval or confirmation. You don’t need anyone to confirm the you are lovable, Lance, because you _are_. You really are. And even if I’m just telling you this as a friend, it’s the truth. And you better believe it.”

He just stared at me. Then he broke my gaze and stared at his hands. “Th-Thanks, Keith. And now that _you_ said it, I really do believe it. So I really hope you aren’t lying to me.”

 _Trust me, I’m not. I would_ never _lie to you, mi querido. I promise. Because the truth is, your so,_ so _incredibly lovable, Lance. So lovable that even_ I _fell for you_.  
  


But I didn’t say that. And I don’t think I ever will be able to say it. I’m sorry, Lance. I’m sorry I’m weak. Sorry I’m a coward. I’m sorry I’m not your soulmate. I’m sorry, Lance, because I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. I don’t think I’m your soulmate, so I’m going to pretend these feelings aren’t here until they really aren’t. Or until you find your true soulmate. I will envy her so, so much. Of course, she’ll be dead, but I would rather be dead and loved by Lance then alive and not.

He gave me a hug and I wished it had lasted all eternity. His face buried in my chest, arms wrapped around his back, pressing him forever closer. I smiled at him then left. I left with sadness, regrets, words stuck in my throat. Oh, how I wish I would have said those words. But when I left, Lance was happy. I made Lance happier. At least Lance was happier.

I smiled, thinking of a happy Lance as I headed for the kitchen. A sweet smell wafted it’s way towards me, and I found myself unconsciously walking faster.

"Hunk? What are you making?" I asked, rounding the corner to the kitchen. He looked up and smiled. 

"Oh hey, Keith. I was experimenting with the space goo to see if it could make brownies. Or at least the space version of them." He chuckled. I smiled. Typical Hunk.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Have you been talking with Lance? You have snot all over your shirt." He laughed. I groaned and walked over to the counter, grabbing paper towels. 

"He must really miss his family, huh?"

I froze. _What?_ Did Lance _lie_ to Hunk?   
  
“Uh, Y-yeah. He really misses his... um-"  
  
“Listen dude," He walked over and put a hand on my shoulder before continuing. "He really trusts you. Like, _a lot_. I've known him since we were kids. I can tell when he lies. I can tell when he doesn't want to talk about something because it's too much, or he's just avoiding it." Hunk paused and sighed.  
  
“Y-yeah. He seemed pretty upset."  
  
He nodded and continued.  
"He trusts you with his _life_ , man. That's pretty big. That's also probably why he's telling you this. And he obviously doesn't want me knowing about it, and that's why he hasn't told me. So please, don't go around telling the rest of the Paladins. If you betray his trust, he'll never get over it. So, do it for him. _Please_."

I nodded. I knew Hunk was telling the truth. It was just kind of hard to believe. _Lance_. Lance, my fake rival, my real friend. My _all to real_ crush. Trusted me with his life. Damn.

Hunk and I talked for a couple more hours, laughing and joking and experimenting more with his brownie concoction. I decided to go back to my room and rest after I left. It was a crazy day, and I needed rest before the battle tomorrow.  
I came to the conclusion that Hunk was a very good person. Kind, generous, caring, sweet, lovable... everything that I wasn't. No wonder Hunk was Lance's best friend and I wasn't. I sighed and entered my room, my head colliding with my pillow. I had so much on my mind, it was a miracle that I got to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaay wassup my angels? anyways, i hope you liked it. i posted it a bit early (cuz i have no patience lol) but noticed it wasn’t doing as well as my other works. am i doing something wrong, or will it get better as the series continues? please answer my questions in the comments, and have a great rest of your day and a happy new year! 🥳💖

**Author's Note:**

> hey i hope you liked it! im working on the next chapter and im hoping to get it out by next friday (if anyone reads and likes it). also im sorry that this chapter was kinda short. since im new, please comment any mistakes i have made or any constructive criticism! thanks, and i'll see you angels soon! bye 💖


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